Fodder prices skyrocket ahead of Eid
A man awaits customers at a makeshift stall selling animal fodder on the eve of Eidul Azha. Such stalls spring up across the city on the occasion, giving people a chance to make some extra money. PHOTO: EXPRESS
With Eid-ul-Azha just around the corner, prices of animal fodder have almost doubled in Rawalpindi. The rates of feeds for cows and goats have skyrocketed while temporary stalls and kiosks have been set up on almost every roadside of the garrison city.
The animal feed of different varieties is available in bags weighing from 250 grammes to a kilogramme (kg). The fodder of good quality is comparatively expensive than the normal ones.
The demand for fodder has seen a spike as more people are buying animals with Eidul Azha approaching.
A citizen, Muhammad Ibrahim, told The Express Tribune that green feed available earlier for Rs12 per kg has quadrupled to Rs50 per kg. It was observed during a market survey that the rates are different for different varieties of green fodder as the chopped one is available at Rs30 per kg.
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Muhammad Shafique said the price of dry straw for goats has also skyrocketed. He said the price of the bran has surged to Rs100 per kg which was available for Rs30 per kg until a few days earlier.
Similarly, the rate of wheat porridge has jumped to Rs90 from Rs45 while that of chickpeas has shot up to Rs100 from Rs50.
Rawalpindi residents criticised the local administration for failing to regularise the rates, adding that every stall owner quotes their own price and demanded that the administration take action against them.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 19th, 2021.